Congratulations, Dean, this is a recognition well-earned and well-deserved. Your career with the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies has left an imprint that will remain forever. Your work and your accomplishments are legendary.
Let’s Recap Dean’s Journey
In 1988, just nine years after we opened our first dealership, Dean was hired at the Larry H. Miller (LHM) Chrysler Plymouth store in Murray, Utah. At that location, he was the Finance and Leasing Manager and the New Car Manager.
In 1995, he was asked to move his family to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, to become the General Sales Manager, where he served until 1997.
After that, he came back to Utah and became General Manager at the Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram store in Sandy.
He held that position until 2010, when he became the President of the Larry H. Miller Automotive Operations. He was transformative in that position until 2022, when all the dealerships were sold to Asbury Automotive. He became an employee of Asbury Automotive before deciding to retire to spend more time with his family and explore other options.
When asked to give some highlights of his career, he said:
- He supplied turnaround leadership for an underperforming dealership operation by building and leading a team that transformed the operation into one of the most successful Chrysler dealerships in the country.
- He developed team members and helped to provide deliberate opportunities for employees to enhance their skill set and progress in their careers. He personally cultivated eight group General Managers and supported others’ career growth into management positions within the organization.
- The LHM dealerships experienced a near doubling of sales and significantly improved profitability through sustainable organic growth as well as aggressive M & A activities during his tenure as President.
Dean’s employment with our group spanned 33 years, yet he only named three highlights. Granted, they are significant, but his record speaks for itself: we would not be the company we are today without Dean Fitzpatrick.
He will always be regarded as a giant in our business. His quiet strength, his humility, his get-it-done attitude and his ability to guide and develop people stand out to me. It was comforting to have his knowledge of the automotive business and to know I could always could on him for honest answers to my questions and concerns. He never wanted attention for his accomplishments and avoided the spotlight, but everyone knew he was the backbone of our success.
As I was visiting with my family and people he worked with, these were some of the things that stood out to them:
Greg Miller, LHM, Vice Chair, Board of Directors, said:
“Dean’s impact on the profitability and strength of the Larry H. Miller company cannot be overstated. His understanding of our culture and practices, as well as his ability to scale them, led to unprecedented growth in the decade or so he was the President of MAO … Dean personified quiet strength. Dean had a gift for establishing and developing healthy relationships with all of the automotive manufacturers.”
Steve Miller, LHM, Chair, Board of Directors, said:
“When I think of Dean, I think of a workhorse. I remember meeting him for the first time at 5780 South State in the Chrysler Plymouth building. Dad told me he was going to be ‘really good’. And he was.
Dean was fair and honest. One of the best gifts he ever gave anyone was when he held them accountable for what they committed to. He never let anyone slide or get off easy. This often made him come across as a ‘hard-ass’, but in the end, it almost always brought out the best in people and made them better.
Dean’s pedigree was remarkable too. He mentored a lot of our best people and turned them into our best GMs. When he was named President of MAO, our operations reached remarkable new heights.
I always enjoyed working with him and trying to learn from him. He taught me a lot about the car business and life.”
Brilliant Miller, LHM, Executive Director of Culture, said:
“When I think about Dean, I think about all the times I forwarded him a customer complaint I received from someone who was so frustrated with an experience they’d had at one of our dealerships that they went online and found my email address — along with every other family member and LHM executive they could find — and sent a mass email.
I always trusted that Dean would handle those issues promptly, professionally and thoughtfully — and though I didn’t often hear what the resolution to most of those issues was, I would sometimes hear that, in fact, they had been addressed and resolved fairly and quickly.
I also think about how many leaders Dean cultivated — how many men and women who worked directly with him went on to be General Managers of dealerships or to hold other important leadership positions in the group. To me, that is the hallmark of a great leader … not just someone who consistently ensures that his organization delivers great results, but someone who inspires and develops people to grow personally and professionally. That’s what Dean did.
I also think about how he’d patiently explain to our board members how the auto industry works, where it has been, and where it’s going. He has a deep understanding and mastery of this industry.
I see Dean as a true professional and extraordinary leader. I feel fortunate that he stayed with our company for so many years. This Hall of Fame award is well deserved.”
Steve Starks, LHM, Chief Executive Officer, said:
“In addition to Dean’s very steady personality, work ethic, and loyalty to the company, I would offer this one story:
In 2014 or 2015, we went to California to meet with Acura to discuss an open point they were considering awarding us in Beverly Hills. The night before the meeting, we went to dinner in the hotel and the next morning Dean called me at 7:30 letting me know he had been sick all night and didn’t know if he could make it. He said, ‘I will try to meet you in the lobby at 8:15, but if I am not there, please go without me.’
At 8:15, I saw Dean dressed in his suit, walking to meet us. Throughout the morning drive to their offices, and then throughout the meeting, Dean was so sick he had to excuse himself multiple times. Despite this, he participated in the full meetings and contributed greatly. At the end of the day, we dropped him off at the hotel where he stayed the night and recovered.
Dean has always been an incredibly hard worker and his dedication that morning exemplified his long and exceptional tenure at LHM.”
Rourk Kemp, who worked closely with Dean for several years and had the privilege to observe him through a set of eyes that gave him a front-row seat to Dean and his impeccable character, said:
“Here are some quick thoughts that come to mind as I think about Dean and the strengths and skills he brought to our organization:
- Maturity: Dean is the most mature man I have ever worked with. By this, I mean that he is fully developed. He has strength, wisdom, intelligence and is always calm under fire. I watched Dean closely for years. I know that he wasn’t always this way. I know he grew throughout his career — and I can see that he made a deliberate choice to work on his maturity level and to let this pursuit truly push him into territory that few men have experienced. Personally, seeing his level of maturity certainly caused me to want to be more like him and I hope that I am progressing along the proper path.
- Confidence in others: It has always been important to Dean to let those he works with know that he trusts them to make good decisions. He was deliberate in allowing us to make decisions and manage our respective areas of influence. Obviously, good decisions were not always made. He was always quick to coach and correct us, as necessary, and he was not afraid to be firm. But I never saw him as a tyrant (not once). Dean could easily have made any number of decisions on our behalf. He always knew which decisions were his and which should be in our hands. He pushed us to be good stewards because he knew that it took all of us pushing forward to get the best performance out of our organization.
- Chain of command: Dean fully understood the proper chain of command. He would never go around someone (both up and down their chain of command). Additionally, I never saw Dean belittle someone that he disagreed with, even behind their back which is where one tends to see those things done. I would know if he was working with someone on development, but Dean is not the type to call someone names behind their back. This is difficult to describe, and it speaks to his maturity, but, oh, was it beautiful to work with him over the years and truly see how he respected others, even when I myself may have thought they didn’t deserve respect.
I guess I am saying he was great at keeping his negative opinions to himself. He would manage what needed to be managed, but he was not interested in destroying reputations along the way or in pulling others down to lift them up.
We have all heard stories of the “tough guy” Dean. I never saw it. Yes, he could be direct. Yes, he could correct me when I did something wrong. I never once felt belittled by him and I was never ashamed to be in his presence. I remember Greg Miller telling us to never do something that you wouldn’t do in front of your mom. Dean’s mom would be proud.”
I wanted to recognize Dean as a family man, too, with a wonderful wife, Karen, and beautiful, accomplished children and grandchildren.
Karen, your support of Dean and the demands placed on him in his work life do not go unnoticed. Everyone knows it takes a good companion to share the load and support and sustain a hardworking man. Thank you!
Dean, thank you for spending so much of your career with the Larry H. Miller Group and for all you have done to lead and bring honor to our family and our organization. There will never be another Dean Fitzpatrick!
